Vernon Township City Zoning Code
PART 3
ZONING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
§ 27-301 Official Zoning Map.
[Ord. 2009-01, 4/2/2009, § 301]
1.
The Township is hereby divided into the following zones or districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map which, together with all explanatory matter thereon, is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter:
2.
The Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Chairman of the Board of Township Supervisors, attested by the Township Secretary and shall bear the Seal of the Township under the following words:
"This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map of Vernon Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, adopted this 2nd day of April, 2009." |
3.
No changes of any nature shall be made on the Official Zoning Map or matter shown thereon except in conformity with the procedures set forth in § 27-905 of this chapter. Any unauthorized change of whatever kind by any person shall be considered a violation of this chapter and shall be punishable as provided by § 27-904 of this chapter.
4.
The Official Zoning Map shall be located in the Township Office and shall be the final authority as to the current zoning status of land in the Township.
5.
Interpretation of Zone Boundaries. Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:
A.
Boundaries indicated as appearing to follow the center lines of streets or highways shall be construed as following such center lines.
B.
Boundaries indicated as appearing to follow platted lot lines shall be construed as following such lot lines.
C.
Boundaries indicated as appearing to follow Township limits shall be construed as following Township limits.
D.
Boundaries indicated as following railroad lines shall be construed as midway between the main tracts.
E.
Boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of streams or other bodies of water shall be construed as moving with the actual body of water and following the center line.
F.
Boundaries whose location cannot be determined by any of the above tests and are not dimensioned on the Official Zoning Map may be measured using the scale of the Official Zoning Map.
G.
When there is disagreement over the location of district boundaries a decision on the correct location shall be rendered by the Zoning Officer with appeal from his decision made to the Zoning Hearing Board.
§ 27-302 Application of District Regulations.
[Ord. 2009-01, 4/2/2009, § 302]
1.
Uniformity. The regulations within each zone district shall apply uniformly to every proposed development therein whether new construction, expansion or renovation of a property.
2.
Compliance. No structure shall be located, erected, demolished, constructed, moved, altered externally (aside from normal and acceptable maintenance or improvements of a property), converted, or enlarged, nor shall any structure or land be used or be designed to be used, except in full compliance with all the provisions of this chapter, and after the lawful issuance of all permits and certifications required by this chapter. Any use not specifically permitted is prohibited.
3.
No part of a yard or other open space or off-street parking or loading space required adjacent to or in connection with any building for compliance with this chapter shall be included as part of a yard, open space or off-street parking or loading space similarly required for any other building.
4.
No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this chapter.
5.
Uses Allowed by Right. Within each zoning district lands, buildings and structures shall be used and buildings and structures shall be erected, altered or enlarged only for any of the uses permitted by right in the zone district or after approval for a special exception or conditional use. The principal permitted uses (allowed by right), accessory, conditional uses, uses and special exception uses for each zone district are listed in Part 4.
6.
On any lot only one principal permitted, conditional or special exception use shall be permitted although it may occupy several buildings.
7.
All land which may hereafter be annexed by the Township shall be placed in the Residential-Agricultural R-A Zoning District until the Planning Commission has made a thorough study of the newly annexed area, reported its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the Board has adopted a final zoning district classification. This study and report by the Planning Commission shall be made within six months of the date of annexation.
8.
Public Utility and Government Services. The following uses are allowed in any zoning district: overhead electric distribution cable and telephone lines and underground utility lines of all kinds and distributing equipment, conduits, vaults, pipeline laterals, mains, traffic signals, telephone booths and similar installations and equipment of this state and nature used by a public utility or a governmental agency and considered essential services.
9.
Major Public Utility Structures. Public utility structures including, but not limited to, buildings; storage tanks, treatment plants; pumping, transformer, transmission, repeater and regulator stations and substations, principal overhead transmission lines (but not including distribution and collection systems as listed in Subsection 8 above) shall be considered as conditional uses in all zoning districts except the following districts: Retail and Service (C-R); Business and Manufacturing (B-M); Conservation-Agricultural (C-A).